Pressing or ironing machine



March 18, 1952 Filed Aug. 10. 1949 G. H. HAVERKATE PRESSING OR IRONING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet l March 1952 e. H. HAVERKATE PRESSING OR IRONING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 10, 1949 m d i w 5 n a m 6 2 March 18, 1952 G. H. HAVERKATE 2,589,939

PRESSING OR IRONING MACHINE Filed Aug. 10. 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 i 2/ l I V f1 g 4 Patented Mar. 18, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE rasses 9R ms e BI- E Gerrit Hendrikus Haverkate, Almelo, Netherlands Application August 10, 1949, Serial No. 109,437

' In the Netherlands December 31, 1947 5 Claims. (01. 38-30) The present invention has for its object to provide an' improved pressing or ironing 'machine of the kind'referred to and consists therein, that the pressing or ironing "pressure is supplied by a pressure fluid under the control of acontrol member moving with the iron and arranged immediately adjacent the grip thereof. In this connection it is observed that for operating the movable flap of the known apparatus for pressing garments, the use of [air under pressure is known per se.

The application of the present invention prothe work through the pressing plate, the supply of the steam being controlled by a handle arranged adjacent the grip of the iron.

In the application of the present invention to a machine of this kind, according to a further characteristic feature of the invention, the element for controlling the pressure fluid is combined with the element for controlling the steam supply, into a single c'ontrq} unit, in sucha manner that the supply of the'pressure fluid and that of the steam are simultaneously opened and out off by a single manipulation.

For controlling the pressure fluid supply, in accordance with the present invention, the control element 1. e. in the above mentioned case, the handle performing the dual function may be connected by means of a Bowden wire to one arm ,of a lever, of which the other arm 'under the influence of a spring, exerts 'on' th'e'pressure fluid supply valve, a force tending toopen said valve against the fluid pressure, said spring force being just insufficient to overcome the num pressure on'the valve; in sucha'mannei' that only this difierence is to be supplied by hand, thereby assuring a" very light and easy operation.

The pressure fluid acts in known manner on the piston of a pressure fluid cylinder which piston,or which cylinder, is connected to the iron, to 'move same downward onto the work against the action of a spring or other return force; In applying the invention to an' existing foot operated pressing or ioning machine, said piston or'sa'idcylinder may be connected to the pedal of the machine, thereby affording the possibility to operate the machine by foot after releasing the 'Bowden wire or-"afterrendering same inoperative by loosening the mantle thereof.'

Further objects and characteristic features of the invention mayappear from the following description in which a constructional embodiment ofmy improved pressing and -ironin'gim'achine is described with referenee'to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 howsa diagrammatic elevational view of an existing pressing and ironing machineto which the invention is'appliedJ Fig. 2 shows "on an" enlarged scale a front elevational view partially in section "of the pressmg iron. V

' Fig. 3, also on an enlarged scale, shows a longitudinal sectional view of the iron proper together with thepressing platef Fig. 4 shows on an enlarged scale a longitudinal section through the valve means forcontrolling the sup'plyanddisoharge'of the pressure fluid l. v'I'he' machine shown in the drawings consists of a pressing bed l"mo'unted on'a support'and carrying a column 2' in which a shaft 3'is' 'rotatably and vertically slidablymounted, such shaft being connected on the one'hand through a universal joint 4 to the pedal 5, which 'in this case, however, do s'not serve as such and on the other hand'c'arrie s a 'r uerggu'ide' 6" for "a' 'i'od' 1 which at one end carries the'pressing iron 8, all in such a manner that the iron'is adapted to be vertically moved up and down and at the same time to be displaced in a horizontal plane by means of the grip 9, by sliding the rod 1 in the guide 6 and swinging such guide about the centre-line of the shaftii. A'spring Ill operates to normally hold the pedal 5 inits upper position in which the iron is free .fromthe pressing plate ll lying therebeneath.

To the iron 8 "there is .pivoted at H, a handle l3, of which one end, carrying aficontrol button 14, extends to a point adjacent the grip}! of the iron, whilst the other end through a spring l engages a plunger 16 (Fig. 2) slidably arranged within a small cylinder I1 mounted within the iron and having a port It normally closed by said plunger, such passage opening into a U- shaped chamber 49 (Fig. 3) of which one shank is connected to a steam supply conduit 20 and the other or lower shank is connected to a steam discharge conduit 2 I.

The cylinder [1 is provided at some distance from the bottom, with two or more transverse ports 22 opening into an annular passage 23, which through a conduit 24 communicates with the space 25, from which a plurality of narrow passages 26 lead to the lower or working face of the iron.

The pressing plate ll (Fig. 3) is also provided with a space 28 communicating through a plurality of narrow passages 21 with the upper face of said plate, such space 28 having connected thereto a vacuum conduit 29.

The construction of the machine so far described is the usual. According to the present invention the handle I 3 is provided with a second arm 30 having a lateral projection, engaging a stirrup 3| to which one end of the core 32 of a Bowden wire is connected, the mantle 33 of which at this end is inserted into an axial bore of a screw 34, threaded into a sleeve 35 surrounding' said core portion 32 and being connected to asbracket 36 carrying the pivot [2 of said handle The opposite end of the mantle 33 of the Bowden wire is anchored in a corresponding manner within stationary sleeve 31 (Fig. 4), the associated end of the core 32 being connected to one arm of a bell crank lever 38 pivotably mounted at 39 on a lug projecting from a valve casing 46 secured to the bottom of the bed I by a support 42.

The other arm of the bell crank lever 38 is acted upon by a tension spring 4| which on the other hand is adjustablly'anchored to the stationary bracket 42' carrying the valve casing.

'-In this latter there is arranged a main valve 43 for controlling the pressure fluid which enters the valve carrying through the conduit 44, the valve 43 being loaded by'the pressure fluid in the sense of closingsuch valve on a seat 45 within the valve casing. The main valve 43 has connected thereto through a rod 43a an auxiliary valve 46 having an annular groove 46a so that such auxiliary valve, when the main valve is closed, is moved away from its seat 41, thereby opening: an outlet 48 to the atmosphere, which outlet communicates with the annular groove 46a and'is' closed when the main valve is moved to open position.- This double acting valve 43-46 is acted; upon by a valve lifted 49 against which the verticalarm of the bell crank lever 38 is held underthe tension ofthe spring 4 l, which is so adjusted that normally the pressure of the bell crank -leveron the valve lifter 49 is just overcome by the fluid pressure on the main valve 43, so that such valve 43 is-norma1ly closed and the auxiliary valve 46is normally open.

Between the-valve seats 45 and 41 a pressure fluid conduit Bil-leads from the valve casing 46 to a second valve casing 5| (Fig. 1) containing a spring loaded non-return valve 52 and also provided with a bleeder tap 53 opening into the atmosphere. A second conduit 54 leads from the valve casing 5! to a pressure fluid cylinder 55, said conduits 59 and 54 being connected by a bypass 56 bridging said non-return valve and containing a stop valve 51. The pressure fluid cylinder 55 is suspended from the bed I of the machine, whilst the associated piston 53 is pivotably connected to the pedal 5.

Upstream of the cylinder 55, a conduit 59 is branched oil from conduit 54 such branch conduit being connected through a similar valve casing 60, comprising a non-return valve, 21 bleeder tap and a closable by-pass, to a second pressure fluid cylinder 6!, the piston 62 of which through a lever 63 operates a vacuum control valve 64 arranged in the vacuum conduit 29 of the pressing plate H (Fig. 3).

The outer portion 65 of the pedal 5 is preferablyrhinged and folded back so as to avoid interference with the mechanical operation of the press.

The operation of the machine above described is as follows:

After the pressingiron 3, by means of the grip 9 is placed over the required portion of the work, lying on the pressing plate H, the operator with the same-hand pushes the button l4 towards the grip 9, whereby through the handle (3, 36 a tension force is exerted on the core 32 of the Bowden wire, which force, although relatively small, is sufficient to move the main valve 43 from its seat 45 against the pressure of the fluid, since it only needs to overcome. thedifference between the fluid pressure on the main valve 43 and the pressure ofthe lever 38 on the valve lifter 49.

under the action of the spring 4 i.

Simultaneously with the opening of the valve 43, the valve 46 is closed so that the pressure fluid entering through the valve 43, assuming the stop valve 51 to be opened, flows directly into the cylinder 55, and through the medium of the piston 58, pedal 5, shaft 3, guide 6 and rod 1, draws the iron 8 with great force and abruptly onto the work, to' effect local pressing thereof.

Simultaneously with the operation of the handle I3'for supplying the pressure fluid, steam is fed in the usual manner through the passages 26 intothe work, in that the plunger I6 (Fig. 2) frees the'inlet port l8 and the steam passes from the chamber l9 through. I3, 22, 23 and 24 into chamber 25 and thence through passages 26 into the work. Through the branch conduit 59 the pressure fluid is also admitted to the cylinder 62 so that thevacuum control valve 64 is opened and the steam supplied to the work is withdrawn from the work by suction.

In the above described case (stopvalve 51 opened) the pressure on the iron 8 is maintained, so long as the button! 4 is held in operating position. Upon release of the button l4 the valve 43 returns to its seat and the valve 46 opens, so that the pressure fluid by the action of the spring Ill on the piston'58, is forced from the cylinder 55 through the conduits 54, 56 and 56 and the outlet 48, thereby releasinghe iron which may then be displaced for a further pressing operation.

When using the valve '52, that is to say when operating with closed stop valve 51, the release of the iron 8, after the release of the button I4, is retarded, since in that case the pressure fluid does not escape through the outlet 48, but through the tap 53 which is adjusted so as to produce a certain throttling effect. The button 14 therefore may be released after a short time (sufficient for steaming the work).

So long as the iron is held down by the pressure fluid, on the work, the evacuation of the steam through the passages 21, will of course have little or no effect, It is therefore desirable that such ate the screw 34 ,(Fig. 2) so that the mantle 33 of the Bowden wire is no longer held fast so that the operation of the handle l3 for steaming the work has no effect on the supply of the pressure fluid, as the valve 43 remains shut.

It will be apparent that the machine described is very easy to operate and nevertheless produces a heavy and eificient pressing pressure. It may of .course also be exclusively automatical, that is tosay the piston of the pressure fluid cylinder may be directly .connected to the shaft 3 or through a lever system for amplifying the pressing force. Instead of the cylinder 55 the piston 58 may be stationary and the cylinder movable, in which case this cylinder transmits the pressing force.

What I claim is:

l. A pressing machine having a movable pressing member having a grip comprising in combination: a pressure cylinder; a piston slidably arranged in said cylinder and connected to the pressing member for applying a vertical force on the pressing member; means for exerting a return force on said piston; a first valve controlling the admission of a pressure fluid to said cylinder; a second valve leading to the atmosphere and connected to said first valve so as to open when said first valve is closed and vice versa; a non-return valve having a casing and being arranged between said first valve and said cylinder; a tap in said casing leading to the atmosphere; a closable by-pass bridging said non-return valve; and a member mounted on the pressing member in the vicinity of the grip, said member controlling said valves.

2. A pressing machine having a movable pressing member having a grip comprising in combination: a pressure cylinder; a piston slidably arranged in said cylinder and connected to the pressing member for applying a vertical force on the pressing member; means for exerting a return force on said piston; a valve casing, containing a first valve controlling the admission of a pressure fluid to said cylinder and a second valve leading to the atmosphere and connected to said first valve so as to open when said first valve is closed and vice versa; a non-return valve having a casing and being arranged between said first valve and said cylinder; a tap in said casing leading to the atmosphere; a closable by-pass bridging said non-return valve; and a movable member movably mounted on the pressing member in the vicinity of the grip; a Bowden wire having one end connected to said member; a two-armed lever pivotally mounted on the casing of said first and second valve and having one arm thereof connected to the other end of said Bowden wire and another arm thereof connected to said valves; and a spring acting on said other arm of said lever in a sense of opening said first valve and closing said second valve.

3. A pressing machine having a movable pressing member having a grip comprising in combination: a pressure cylinder; a piston slidably arranged in said cylinder and connected to the messing m mbe Ior app in a ve ti a terse the pressing member; means f e ertin a re..- turn force on said piston; a valve casing contain,- ing a first valve controlling the admission of a pressure fluid to said cylinder and SC9 1l d a v a i g to t e a mosphe a d ppnnecte to said first valve so as to open when said first valve is ,closed and vice versa; a nonrreturn valve i g a casing and bein arran ed b tw en said first valve and said c in r; a tap in said ca in leadin to the atmosph re: it plq a le byrpas bridging said nonrreturn valve; a fluid supply conduit connectin said first va ve with sa d cy1inder;- a branch cond it havin one 6. 19109 -nected to said supply conduit; a second pressure cylinder arranged at the other end of said bran h conduit; a n nr eturn v ve a ran ed :i said branch conduit; a closable by-pass bridging said non-return valve; a second pi t n slida arranged in said second cylinder; a control valve actuated :by said second piston; means for admitting steam to the work to be pressed and means for withdrawing steam from Such wo k; said withdrawing means being controlled by said control valve; and a member movably mounted on the pressing member in the. vicinity of the grip, said member controlling said first and second valves and said steam admitting means.

4. A pressing machine having a movable pressing member having a grip comprising in combination: a pressure cylinder; a piston slidably arranged in said cylinder and connected to the pressing member for applying a vertical force on the pressing member; means for exerting a return force on said piston; a valve casing containing a first valve controlling the admission of a pressure fluid to said cylinder and a second valve leading to the atmosphere and connected to said first valve so as to open when said first valve is closed and vice versa; a non-return valve having a casing and being arranged between said first valve and said cylinder; a tap in said casing leading to the atmosphere; a closable by-pass bridging said non-return valve; a fluid supply conduit connecting said first valve with said cylinder; a branch conduit having one end connected to said supply conduit; a second pressure cylinder arranged at the other end of said branch conduit; anon-return valve arranged in said branch conduit; a closably by-pass bridging said non-return valve; a second piston slidably arranged in said second cylinder; a control valve actuated by said second piston; means for admitting steam to the work to be pressed; means for withdrawing steam from such work; said withdrawing means being controlled by said control valve; a second non-return valve having a casing and being arranged in said supply conduit between said first valve and said cylinder; a tap in said casing leading to the atmosphere; a second closable by-pass bridging said second nonreturn valve; and a member movably mounted on the pressing member in the vicinity of the grip, said member controlling said first and second valves and said steam admitting means.

5. A pressing machine having a movable pressing member having a grip comprising in combination: a pressure cylinder; a piston slidably arranged in said cylinder and connected to the pressing member for applying a vertical force on the pressing member; means for exerting a return force on said piston; valve casing containing a first valve controlling the admission of a pressure fluid to said cylinder; a second valve leading to the atmosphere and connected to said aasaese first valve so as to open when said first valve is closed and vice versa; a non-return valve having a casing and being arranged between said first valve and said cylinder; a tap in said casing leading to the atmosphere; a closable bypass bridging said non-return valve; a fluid supply conduit connecting said first valve with said cylinder; a branch conduit having one end connected to said supply conduit; 2. second pressure cylinder arranged at the other end of said branch conduit; a non-return valve arranged in said branch conduit; a closable byepass bridging said non-return valve; a second piston slidably arranged in said second cylinder; a control valve actuated by said second piston; means for admitting steam to the Work to be pressed and means for withdrawing steam from such work; said withdrawing means being controlled by said control valve; a second non-return valve having a casing and being arranged in said supply conduit between said first valve and said cylinder; a tap in said casing leading to the atmosphere; a

second closable by-pass bridging said second nonreturn valve; a member movably mounted on the pressing member in the vicinity of the grip and having an arm controlling said steam ad- 8 mitting means; a Bowden wire having one end connected to said member; a two-armed lever pivotally mounted on the casing of said first and second valves and having one arm thereof connected to the other end of said Bowden wire and another arm thereof connected to said valves; and a spring acting on said other arm of said lever in a sense of opening said first valve and closing said second valve.

GERRIT HENDRIKUS HAVERKATE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 946,401 Schirmer et a1. Jan. 11, 1910 1,588,167 Caps June 8, 1926 1,917,362 Davis July 11, 1933 2,034,456 Baldwin Mar. 17, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 542,561 Great Britain Oct. 16, 1939 

